Thomas l



' (No Model.)

T. L. SMITH.

UNDERGROUND WIRE GONDUIT.

No. 297,462. Patented Apr. 22, 1884.

INVENTOR Z'ZzwnasLSmiZ/z, I

By his .fltforneys NlTE STATES THOMAS L. SMITH, OF NE? YORK, N. Y.,ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO DANIEL A. MATHElVS, OF SAME PLACE.

UNDERGROUND Wl'RE-CONDUIT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 297,462, dated April22,1884.

Application filed February 4, 1854. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, Trrorrns L. SMITH, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city of New York, in the county and State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Underground Vire-Oonduits, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the class of structures employed for supportingand inclosing electric conductors beneath the earth.

The invention has for its object, generally, to provide means for layingsuch conductors in a convenient manner, supporting them in such a mannerthat easy access may be had thereto for the purpose of repairing them orsecuring electrical connections therewith, and also to so construct thelines that separate sections may be removed or introduced with outdisturbing. the adjacent sections, while the entire line is maintainedunder the proper ten sion to prevent neighboring conductors fromtouching each other.

The special object of this invention is to provide a terminal station orsupport, to be placed at the ends of the sections, provided with deviceswhereby the above objects are readily and securely attained, and thehandling of the materials involving the construction of undergroundsystems is greatly facilitated and simplified.

The invention has reference to a system which consists, generally, informing an inclosing-conduit in sections of suitable lengths, preferablyalternating long and short sections, and in placing within the longersections supporting-bridges for the conductors, while certain of theshort sections, at suitable distances apart, are provided with the solidterminal supports, hereinafter described. The bridges are preferablyconstructed to support the conductors in several slightly inclinedseries extending from the bottom of the conduit to the top, and therigid terminal supports are provided with eyebolts of conductingmaterial arranged in corresponding series. The ends of the separatesections of the conductors are secured to these eyebolts. These boltsextend through their supports, and are provided with suitable nuts forbinding them in posinut down upon the bolt.

tion, and also affording means for attaching the ends of the succeedingsections of the lines. The bolts and the nuts, being made of conductingmaterial, serve thus to continue the connections of the line from onesection of the conduit to the next section throughout its length. Thethread for receiving the nut is preferably formed upon each bolt asufficient distance to permit the sections to be tightened, after theyhave been attached thereto, by screwing the Each section of the linewill thus be independently supported, and it will be held in its properposition, even though an intermediate section may by some chance becomedisplaced.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of aconduit embodying the features of my invention, and Fig. 2 is anenlarged transverse section of the same. Fig.

3 is an enlarged view of a section of the rigid support, illustrating indetail the construction and application of the screw-bolts. Fig. 4illustrates the form of bridge which I prefer to employ.

Referring to these figures, A represents the inclosing-wall of theconduit, which is preferably of clay, cement, or other suitablenonconducting material, and which is preferably composed of two classesof sections, as shown at a and a. The sections a are of considerablygreater length than the sections a and they form the main portion of theconduit.

One of the sections a intervenes between the adjacent ends of every twoof the sections erably constructed in two parts-a fiat bottom portion,2), upon and over which fits a curved cover or top, I). The ends of thebottom portions, 1), ofthe longer sections, a, preferably overlap thecorresponding portions of the short sections, (6 as shown at a. Theupper curved portions, If, of the short sections, (0 however, overlapthe ends of the longer sections, a, as shown at b. By reason of thisconstruction I am enabled to lay the bottoms of both sections a and aand the upper portions or covers, b of the longer sections, a, beforefinally putting the covers I) of the sections a in place. This method ofconstruction greatly facilitates the operation of laying the conductors.The form of joint preferred is that shown in the drawings, and consistsof two vertical abutting ends, a and c united by a longitudinal face, 0.Any other suitable meth- 0d of j ointing may be employed.

At suitable points within the longer sections, a, are placed verticalbridges E. ()ne of these bridges is preferably placed at about thecentral point in each of the longer sections, a, and they are preferablyconstructed of earthenware or other suitable non-conducting material.Each of these bridges preferably consists of a series of verticalfingers or arms, 0 and e", &c. The sides of each of these lingersconverge toward the upper extremity, so that the notches or grooves 1',formed in their sides, do not fall in the same vertical lines. Thenotches f are placed at any suitable distance apart,- and in number areas great as the number of conductors which it maybe desired to place inthe conduit. The conductors, when they are laid in the conduit, aresupported by these notches, and for the purpose of preventing them frombeing accidentally displaced, suitable non-conducting plates, 9, may besecured against the sides of the fingers, thereby closing the grooves ornotehesf.

Vithin certain of the shorter sections, a", of the conduit are placedthe rigid supports H, provided with the conducting screw-bolts 71 towhich it is designed to attach the terminals of the separate sections ofconductors. The sections a selected for this purpose are preferably atdistances of, say, about one hundred feet apart, and the conductorswhich are to be laid are cut into sections of approximately the samelength. Any length found most convenient in practical construction,depending upon the location, the amount of obstruction to travel, fee,may be employed.

The supports H prcferablyfit at their edges into corresponding grooves,7., formed in the interior of the conduit. By so coi'lstructing theparts, the supports are not only rigidly held in position, but thespaces between them form practically water and air tight compart ments.This feature is of special value for preventing any moisture which mayhave obtained access to one compartment from pass ing into another.

The eyebolts h are preferably constructed in the manner more clearlyshown in Fig. 3, each having a head, if, in which is formed an eye, it,for attaching one terminal of a section of a conductor, as shown at I.This bolt is designed to extend through the solid support H, and the endopposite the head is provided with a serew-thread, 72 Upon this isfitted a nut, if, having an extended shank, h, and an eye, h similar tothe eye h". This nut is de signed to be screwed tightly upon the boltafter the section of conductor attached to the eye h has been put intoplace. It will be readily understood that by thus screwing the nut agreater or less distance upon the bolt the conductor will be tightenedmore or less. It may in some instances be desirable to make the shank hof considerable length, so that the conductor may be attached to the eyeh" while the head of the bolt is still some distance from the supportll, thus permitting a con siderable tension to be placed upon the wireby screwing down the nut upon the opposite end. The eyebolts 7b arearranged in the rigid support ll, as shown in Fig. 2, in the samerelative positions as are the notches or grooves f in the bridges 1), sothat when the colnluctors are attached to the screw-bol ts they will beheld in. approximately the same relative positions. it may be founddesirable to omit the bridges 11] from the sections a adjacent to thesupports ll, for the reason that the distance between the next bridgeand the support II is usually insulilcimit to be given a support for theconductors.

The method of laying the conductors may be briefly stated as follows:The bottom portions, b, of the conduits having been laid throughoutanydesired length, and the bridges E having been put in place, any requirednumber of conductors, Z, are attached to their corresponding eyebolts atone end of the section, and carried through the length of the conduit,and supported in their proper positions in the notches f of the bridges1*). At the proper distance from the first support 111 a second supportis placed, and the conductors are drawn tightly and fastened to theirproper corresponding bolts, ii, at the second support. The nuts are thenscrewed upon these bolts, as may be required, for giving the conductorsa greater tension than may be conveniently secured in laying andfastening them. The succeeding sections are then attached to the eyes inthe nuts, and the operation is repeated. The covers or upper portions,I), of the sections of conduit may be placed. in position either beforethe conductors are fastened in position or afterward, as foundconvenient. At the respective terminals of the conduit the conductors Zmay be fastened to screw-bolts, in the same manner as at theintermediate points, or screw in any other convenient manner.

It will be readily understood that a branch conductor may beled from anyone of the conductors Z from within the conduit to a build.- ing orother point by simplysecuring it to the eye of the bolt nearest thatpoint; and, if necessary, the conductor secured to the opposite end ofthe same bolt may be disconnected or removed, as found desirable.

For the purpose of insuring a reliable electrical connection withthoscrew-bolts 71 the ends of the eonductors' may be wound about the same,and they may in addition he soldered thereto.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a conduit for electric conductors, aseries of bridges for supporting the conductors, and a series of solidsupports extending across said conduits and separating the same intodistinct compartments, and a series of conducting rods or boltsextending through said supports, for supporting the separate sections ofconductors within said conduit and placing the adjacent sections inelectrical connection with each other.

2. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore' set forth, with aconduit for electric conductors, of a series of supports for theconductors, which supports divide the con duit into water-tightcompartments, a series of screw-bolts extending through said supports,and means for attaching sections of conductors to the respective ends ofsaid screwbolts, and for causing said screw-bolts to exert tension uponthe sections of conductors.

3. The combination, substantially as'hereinbefore set forth, of a seriesof sections of a conduit for electric conductors, a series ofnon-conducting bridges placed within the same, non-conducting platesapplied to said bridges, a series of shorter sections of con duitalternating with the first-named sections, a series of rigidnon-conducting supports placed within certain of the shorter sections,and means, substantially such as described, for obtaining independentelectrical connections through said supports.

4. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, in anunderground conduit, of aseries of bridges having notches for receivingelectric conductors, and a series of solid supports interposed in saidseries of bridges, having means, substantially such as described, forreceiving the terminals of the conductors supported in said bridges, andfor securing connections through the supports without changing therelative positions of the conductors.

5. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of a seriesof supportingbridges for electric conductors, having a series ofupwardly-projecting tapering fingers, in the sides of which are formednotches for receiving the conductors, non-conducting plates coveringsaid notches, and rigid supports interposed in said series of bridges,and means for securing electrical connections for the conductors throughsaid rigid supports without changing the relative position of the.conductors.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name this 31st day ofJanuary, A. D. 1884.

- THOMAS L. SMITH. Witnesses:

DANL. W. EDGECOMB, CHARLES A. TERRY.

